On Rose's Applying For Reinstatement The question of whether Pete Rose should or will be reinstated to organized baseball became an official issue one more time. Commissioner Rob Manfred announced he received a formal request from Rose himself.

Alex Johnson, RIP: The Fires Within To hear the Whitey Herzog say it, Johnson -- who died February 28 at 72, after a battle with cancer -- was anything but a handful, once you played things straight with him.

Ernie Banks, RIP: Always a Beautiful Day There is no joy in Wrigleyville. Mighty Ernie has checked out. At 83. Cub fans aren't the only ones in baseball's world who think that, for Ernie Banks, it's still too young to go.

Nats Win More Than One Way With Scherzer Almost a year ago, enough of baseball thought Max Scherzer might be a little crazy for spurning the Detroit Tigers' $160 million contract extension offer in favor of playing the market to come.

The Cubs Show Lester More Than the Money In the end, there was more to Jon Lester's signing choice than the dollars in his own pocket. A man doesn't take the second-best offer on the table because he's only in it for the money.